


Birthday Tradition

by skrivarmelodi



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gladio is a rent boy, Love, M/M, Sort Of, and Ignis calls for his service
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 17:39:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16000124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skrivarmelodi/pseuds/skrivarmelodi
Summary: Ignis' heart got broken a day before his 23rd birthday because his boyfriend broke up with him. He's an emotional mess and visits a website to rent a boy for a night and that's how he meets Gladio. What starts as an act out of anger and pain becomes a tradtion for seven years.





	Birthday Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> Since it's September 15th and it's my brithday I decided to share something with my beloved Gladnis-Family. Hope you like it :) I might have planned to write this out split into 7 parts (but I'm not sure about that yet!). Enjoy!

For the past seven years Ignis had spent his birthday in a specific way.

He kept his secret and didn't tell anyone about it - not even his two best friends knew about it, and he kept it that way. Well, it wasn't just his secret because another person knew about it too, since that person was involved. He didn't know how to label it, if it was some sort of tradition or just a thing he shared with that guy who called himself Gladio - and Ignis still didn't know if it was his real name.

It was weird, he knew that, their whole relationship was weird and something people wouldn't believe Ignis would ever do.

But it became a thing, and even after seven years Ignis still remembered clearly how it all started.

It was the day before his 23rd birthday and his partner broke up with him. It came out of nowhere for Ignis but years later he saw the signs and understood why it happened. Back then he did not. They were too different and Ignis was too focused on his studies, placing his priority elsewhere. Not every person could handle that, just like his ex partner.

Ignis had never experienced such a shock and pain before and that soon turned into anger and sadness, especially the next day when his birthday came.

Noctis and Prompto came to celebrate and Ignis was a master in hiding his emotions. His friends were the perfect distraction but the moment they left, Ignis felt everything coming back. He was aware of how little time they actually spent together and his ex would always say ‘I understand’ or ‘Take care’ with an ‘I love you’ before they ended the call.

It was all a lie, and when Ignis entered his kitchen where everything was prepared for an romantic candle light dinner - to make up for his absence - he felt even worse. Sure, he was at fault too, but to be so cruel and end their relationship the day before his birthday? That was a low blow.

So he did something he had never done before, since he was a rather private person and chose the people he let close wisely. He knew about a website where he could ‘order a boy’ and he would be paid for many different things. But Ignis wanted to have someone who would make him feel good and spent the night with him.

It would have been a lie to say that Ignis hadn't been nervous. He was freaking out after he realized what he had done, something that wasn't part of his character, but he was a person who also stood behind the decisions he made.

That's how he met Gladio, handsome, charming not just muscle but also brain and taller than Ignis, but exactly how he was described in his profile. Which was probably rare in itself, but the website seemed to be professional, unlike other dubious places on the depths of the internet.

What was awkward for Ignis was something normal for Gladio, who made it so easy to talk and to forget about the day before. They talked about books, since Gladio himself read himself lots too, and Ignis quickly found out that he was not lying.

The topics changed after a while when Gladio remarked that Ignis was well prepared for a spontaneous decision to order a rent boy for the evening and Ignis, who didn't open up much, did so.

For some reason he felt more comfortable and understood by the stranger in his apartment than by his friends, and so he told Gladio what happened.

“I'm sorry to hear that,” Gladio spoke. “He must be a true idiot for breaking up with you.”

Ignis smiled and didn't even care if Gladio meant what he said or if it was something he was supposed to say. It felt good either way and the night they spent together was something Ignis never experienced before. That someone like Gladio managed to make him melt and moan and feel loved and pleasure, even though they didn't know each other, by just a kiss, a simple touch, a whispered word… Ignis couldn't forget that.

After that, Ignis still thought of Gladio and even considered calling him again, but he didn't, holding on to his sanity that, no matter how gentle Gladio had been, he was still a rent boy and doing what he did because it was his job. People were supposed to feel attracted and good with people like Gladio. So the need to call again for his service died but also the interest in other potential partners.

He focused on his studies and a year later, Ignis found himself on that website again and saw that Gladio was still there.

And, again, he called for his service.

Just like he had done for the past 7 years. It was their night when they talked about everything and nothing, but never anything private. They never met any other day, didn't exchange numbers and knew nothing about the others private life. It was just about them, their interests, and some sort of mutual attraction they felt since their bodies seemed to fit perfectly together.

It was something Ignis looked forward to every year, but on his 30th birthday, seven years later, Gladio was no longer on that website.

Regret, Ignis knew the meaning of the word and that a lot of people regretted things they did or didn't do. He himself believed he knew its meaning and feeling but he had been so wrong,because the moment he realized Gladio was out of his reach, only then regret became a concept he could truly understand.

Why did he never ask for Gladio's number? Why didn't he voice his feelings and wishes, which went beyond a once in a year night together? Why did he take this for granted? Gladio had a private life, just like Ignis, and even though Ignis decided for himself to not start another relationship, it didn't mean the same for Gladio.

Ignis felt like crying because he never admitted what he felt and now it all crushed down on him. Like rain, painful and cold pouring down and trying to leave bruises so he would never forget how stupid he had been for letting a person go so easily.

He left his desk and walked to the kitchen with the intention to clean everything and forget all about the romantic evening he had been looking forward to, in the meantime wiping his eyes and trying to keep his tears from falling.

Though, when he heard someone knocking against his front door, he had troubles keeping up his mask.

It was worse than seven years ago when the person he believed he loved broke up with him.

He ignored the knocking but it didn't stop. The person knocked for five minutes straight, the knock getting louder and louder. It was probably Noctis who could be persistent to a degree it became almost child like. With one last deep breath he approached the door and opened it.

His heart stopped when he saw the person he believed he would never see again.

Gladio smiled, a different smile, and he looked different somehow. More casual but not less handsome. Ignis moved his mouth but no word left his lips and instead Gladio spoke what Ignis couldn't voice.

“Good evening. I'm Gladiolus Amicitia and I've been in love with you for the past seven years.”

Ignis breathed for a moment and let the words sink in before he himself could smile and say.

“Me too. I've… been in love with you too, Gladio.”


End file.
